katie_swerda

Yet another person trying to talk me out of white Corian

Katie
5 years ago

I've walked into many stores in the past few months looking at countertops, and every single time I have brought up Corian, the salesperson has tried to talk me out of it. At least the one today wasn't trying to talk me out of Corian altogether, just solid white Corian. She said that her customers who have used solid surface in a solid color complain that it is very difficult to keep looking clean because every little blemish shows on the solid color; she said getting solid surface with even just subtle specks will go a long way in keeping the countertops looking good over time. But I like the plain look of glacier white, and it's a good material for a busy family. I've read posts here from many people who are happy with solid surface; are the solid colors really that difficult to keep looking nice?

Comments (70)

  • Janet
    5 years ago
    I clean as I cook, too. The problem arrises when the dishwasher is running, and more dishes accumulate. Or at my daughters, the kids always clear their plates and put them in the sink until one of the adults loads the dishwasher. And they are constantly eating! We all have our routines, and my happy place is in two bowls! Lol!
  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago





    It is so rare that I replace a double bowl sink with another double bowl sink, I just had to post. This was supposed to be a low divide, but when it arrived fully divided the customers wanted it anyway. Note the filled soap dispenser hole in the upper right, please.




    Not bad after I poulticed most of the soap stain out.

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  • Katie
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Janet wrote: The sink is where I’m not sure. Even though it loses the advantages of the integrated sink, I was planning on an undermount sink for the look.

    Janet, I recommend you check out the Karran sinks. You don't lose the advantage of the integrated sink but also have the look and advantages of the undermount. Seach for "Karran" in the forum and you'll see photos. I can't speak from experience yet, but it is what I plan on getting.

    Anglophilia wrote: I cannot imagine what anyone could do to a Corian sink to "have problems".

    When this last sales person was trying to talk me out of Corian, she said many customers complained about keeping white sinks clean and placing hot pots in the sink and causing burns. Although those two were not such a consideration for me, I still think I will prefer the stainless Karran - I like stainless sinks and won't worry about pouring boiling water in it.

    Katie Rigby wrote: white EVERYWHERE!!!! It's clean and looks amazing. But it will take a constant effort to keep it white and more frequent touch up paint but omg! White is the best!!!!

    I love the look of white cabinets, but I am a busy mother of six children. My cabinets will be maple with a light/medium stain because I don't have the time for that "constant effort" and "frequent touch up" you mention. But one of the many reasons I want white Corain counters is the very reason that Anglophilia mentions: I don't mind some dust here and there, but I want my countertop that I prepare food on three times a day to be really clean.

  • Janet
    5 years ago

    I have looked at the Karran sinks, but I don’t think they made a double bowl, round corner, low rise option. I will check them again befor I make any decisions.

    Katie thanked Janet
  • Katie
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Janet, I don't know if Karran does offer that kind - it's the opposite of what I was looking for! Good luck.

  • Katie
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    I'm reviving this thread because, yes, yet another person tried to talk me out of white solid surface today. But this time it was a GC who said something new: white solid surface will yellow. He said that he's taken out many white solid surface tops that had turned yellow, and if I must have solid surface, don't get white. I'm planning on getting LG Hi-Macs Arctic White. Should I be concerned about yellowing?

  • Janet
    5 years ago

    Someone in the know hopefully will chime in, but I remember reading to make sure you are getting an acrylic and not polyester based solid surface. I don’t remember if that had anything to do with yellowing. @anglophile has had her white Corian for decades, and I don’t think it’s yellowed. The people trying to talk you out of it are only familiar with what they’ve torn out. Mine will be the first that they’ve actually put in. Among the multiple reasons I want the solid surface is that I would have three seams in four directions in a continuous counter top. Deal with that in quartz or granite!

    Katie thanked Janet
  • stillpitpat
    5 years ago

    It's only been a few weeks, but I am LOVING my bright white Corian.

    Katie thanked stillpitpat
  • K. Holiday
    5 years ago

    My mother-in-law has had her white Corian countertops since 1988, and they still look great. (Except for the scratched up spot where my FIL cuts his lemons without a cutting board. Don't do that.) Definitely not yellowing. When we did our kitchen reno last year, I let the KD talk me out of Corian. I kind of wish I hadn't listened because quartz gets COLD in the winter.

    Katie thanked K. Holiday
  • Astrid C
    5 years ago

    I had everyone try to talk me out of Corian - saying nobody uses it and its outdated. But I got in anyway (off-white no speckle color - Bisque) and I LOVE it!! No regrets.

    Katie thanked Astrid C
  • chisue
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I LOVE the (bisque) Corian counter and integral sink in our Maui condo. Clean looking and easy to keep clean with Bon Ami. Warm to the touch. Forgiving. (All of these are missing in the granite + porcelain sink I have at home.) Now...if I could get guests to Stop Cutting ON the Counter Top!

    Katie thanked chisue
  • sowkmom
    5 years ago

    I’d love to see any photos of people’s corian counters and sinks. I’ve just barely stated countertop shopping but was told at one store that corian is “out of favor”. I really want a nice looking countertop that is low maintenance!

    Katie thanked sowkmom
  • Mid America Mom
    5 years ago

    Katie thanks for coming back in! I feel for you. In the end you are going to live with a kitchen so get what you want. Thank your GC for sharing their insight and knowledge and say in that "I am serious voice" we all have - "I have thought about it and we are getting the xx. Lets write down the order and do you like your supplier?" If they bring it up again - I would look at them and give them "the look" we all have and say nothing. They work for YOU.

    Anyone thinking about this counter... Is it "in"- no. Is the counter screaming at you - I am a crazy pattern or popular color - no. Is it claiming I am the trendy stone counter type - no. They are simple, that material has been around for a long time which is reassuring, and in the end I would say the color is boring. Like a common white toilet in the bathroom. It is a blessing. You can get trendy color towels of the year, buy a easily replaceable colored countertop appliance (like my cousin in law and her plum mixer), change the window treatment or backsplash, paint. To me that would be priceless.

    Katie thanked Mid America Mom
  • Janet
    5 years ago
    I told my GC and designer that by the time we are done with this kitchen, they are going to start recommending it!
    Katie thanked Janet
  • stillpitpat
    5 years ago

    sowkmom,


    I am not doing a full reveal until my glass backsplash is installed (see tile), but here are 3 pix of my Glacier White Corian (and Karran Edge sink). I love it.


    Katie thanked stillpitpat
  • MizLizzie
    5 years ago

    I don’t know about LG but Corian does NOT yellow. My sis has had it and a wonderful integrated Corian sink since Corian was invented. The house is now a rental property but the counters are pristine. I think people get sold whatever has the best profit margin.

    Katie thanked MizLizzie
  • sowkmom
    5 years ago

    Stillpitpat—thank you! It looks great-love the stainless sink with it. Looking forward to your reveal!

    Katie thanked sowkmom
  • PRO
    Anglophilia
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Yellow? Well, I have a full west exposure in my kitchen and after nearly 34 years, my white Corian has most definitely NOT yellowed! GC is an idiot if he thinks this - he's confusing Corian with something else.

    This stuff is SO easy to take care of, as is the big single Corian sink! I've had the Corian sink for "only" 15 years and it looks like new. I love the the seamless, clean look of this sink area - fresh and clean.

    As for Corian being "out of favor"; it is true that it is in the US for residential use except for bathroom basins. It is used extensively in hospitals as it is non-porous, will not mildew or mold, resists stains such as blood, betadine and Gentian's violet. It's used in labs as well.

    It fell out of favor in the US when Corian had problems with fabricators and required them to all be re-certified to install Corian. This happened at about the same time as granite was introduced, so many fabricators just dropped Corian, were not re-certified and started installing granite.

    It has NEVER been out of favor in the UK and Europe. It is used extensively in very high end residential work. It can be thermoformed into just about any shape so it's in great demand in very contemporary, high end, custom kitchens.

    It's a shame that it's not used more in the US as it's just a wonderful product. I much prefer the Glacier White as it's classic, timeless, and will go with any color scheme one might choose over the years. What other surface could be re-used in a new kitchen 32 years later and still look like new!

    Katie thanked Anglophilia
  • Janet
    5 years ago

    @anglophilia, do you recommend the matte or satin finish?

    Katie thanked Janet
  • Donna E
    5 years ago

    Here is part of my Corian (Glacier White). I combined it with some granite (Blue Pearl Royale). We love both! The Corian is so smooth to the touch and creamy looking. It is so bright and crisp. (We also love our granite, it has "wow factor" in person). I got a bevel edge on both to tie them together.

    Definitely highly recommend the Corian! Otherwise, this counter, which my hubby wanted to keep at table height, would weigh a ton and probably have a visible seam.

    Katie thanked Donna E
  • Anon Username
    5 years ago

    Could somebody post a link to some of the Corian seamless big single bowl sinks? Is this one? https://www.karran.com/product/a-340 And that can be installed into Corian so that there is no line or seam anywhere with the countertop itself?


    Is it accurate to say that with a sink like this, you have to be careful about putting hot pans into the sink before they cool down?

    Katie thanked Anon Username
  • stillpitpat
    5 years ago

    Corian makes their own integrated sinks, but Karran is another option for a seamless integrated sink. I don't have any pix, unfortunately.

    Katie thanked stillpitpat
  • Katie
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks so much for all the posts. I suspect that this GC was ripping out solid surface that was not has high-quality as Corian.

    I wanted to get the "real" Corian because they really stand by their product, but I'll probably get LG Hi Macs because I really like the fabricator that Lowes uses (they have experience with seamlessly undermounting SS Karran sinks to solid surface). And Lowes sells Hi Macs, not Corian. So when this GC was badmouthing solid surface, it scared me a bit.

  • Katie
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    stillpitpat, thanks so much for your picture of your Karran SS sink. May I ask you:

    1) How many inches is your sink rail? The Karran sinks have such a wide flange for mounting to solid surface, I was a little concerned about having a really wide sink rail that I'd have to really reach over to get to the sink.

    2) Is that a seam radiating diagonally from the the upper left corner? I'd be surprised, since that is not where I'd expect to see a seam, and the seams should be inconspicuous. So it's probably the picture that makes it look like it, but I just want to make sure you are getting a good install. . .

  • stillpitpat
    5 years ago

    Hi Katie,

    My front rail is 3.5," which I had to ask for. They were going to center the sink front to back, and I asked them to make the front narrower. Idk if they could have gone even narrower than 3.5 if I had pushed, but the width is fine for me. And what looks like a seam is the edge of my clear dish strainer tray. I hadn't even noticed that in the picture. The ONLY seams I can see are behind my range, where the designer didn't realize a narrow strip of Corian needed to go. They came out yesterday to put that strip in. The seams are barely visible, and I don't really care anyway since they are so far back. Boy was that process stinky though!

    I considered HiMacs too, but I was getting choice paralysis and liked the Corian Glacier White well enough that I didn't want to keep getting samples (I saved that headache for paint colors and light bulbs). I'm sure HiMacs will be great!

    Katie thanked stillpitpat
  • Katie
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    @stillpitpat, Thanks so much for the info! I really don't want a sink rail more than 3.5" because I'm so short, so it's nice to know it is was done with the same materials I plan on using - that gives me confidence to ask for the same.

  • Janet
    5 years ago

    Katie, just so you know, I just found out that Corian has a new product called Corian Solid Surface with Resilience Technology. It‘s worth lookng at the video. And just remember, fabricators and salespeople that are “nice” will non the less never be seen again, while the product you are buying is what you live with for years into the future,

  • j drumm
    5 years ago

    Ok a bit late, Corian Glacier White "The Best" Got a new Kitchen put in my old house had it for 12 years 3 Boys, beer pong ect on island bench, like new when sold house. Im now about to build So going with Corian Glacier White again, does anyone know what white colour cabinets go with Corian Glacier white Cheers

  • PRO
    Anglophilia
    5 years ago

    Mine is 34 years old in February. It looks as good as it did the day it was installed. I re-used it when I redid the kitchen nearly 3 years ago. It's simply the best!

  • david_danaan
    3 years ago

    I'm also putting Glacier White Corian in my remodeled kitchen after being told it's outdated by contractors and designers. I had it for years in a teenage boy's bathroom. Let's just say it was abused. When we put the house on the market I was able to get it looking like new again without any drama.


    My question for you all is: What Benjamin Moore white colour would you use for upper cabinets with this countertop?

  • Janet
    3 years ago

    We put the new Corian with Resilience Technology in almost 1 1/2 years ago now, and the white is called Summit White. My wall and trim paint is Benjamin Moore Dove White, though my cabinets are actually green, so I can’t really answer your question, but just to say - good decision on the Corian!

  • Michelle Flaherty
    3 years ago

    OP or others have photos of their glacier white corian? i have BM white dove cabs with an orangey granite and want to pull out and replace with corian. backsplash has some nice veining so will keep that.

    would love to see some pics! thanks!

  • Paula
    3 years ago

    The fabricator is telling me a solid color white is translucent, so the undermount may show if light hits it. He also says that i would want to have some particulate to hide the seam. Any experience with this? Thank you.

  • Janet
    3 years ago

    There is nothing translucent about my Summit white Corian. What is the particulate? I have two seams but can’t see them.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago

    Some solid surfaces are translucent, some aren't. It takes special fabrication and installation to make the translucent look good.

  • Paula
    3 years ago

    It is the glacier white in Corian, tho he states the bellavati brand will be the same, just significantly less expensive. He is recommending that it have some sort of pattern, even small like Dorian Antarctica.

  • Paula
    3 years ago

    I just would like solid "true" white, so if there is a better choice please tell me...

  • stillpitpat
    3 years ago

    Corian Glacier White is a true white and not the least bit translucent.

  • david_danaan
    3 years ago

    I had originally picked Glacier Ice. The fabricator warned me it is translucent and I should use Glacier White instead. It is solid white. The seams are nearly invisible.

  • david_danaan
    3 years ago

    Btw, I went with BM Oxford White on the upper cabinets and walls.

  • Paula
    3 years ago

    Thank you all for the helpful info. I really didn't want to use home depot, preferred a local fabricator, but I guess he just prefers to do granite and quartz. Very frustrating! Thanks again yall.

  • Leah Zawadzki
    2 years ago

    @Janet are you still loving your Summit White? Do you find it's scratching? I am between Summit White and Glacier White, just wondering if the new resilience technology is worth it. They are very close to the same color, Summit works with my cabinets a wee bit better. I just know so many who love the Glacier I am not sure I should mess with a good thing. Any body else with feedback on this, I'd love to hear.

  • Janet
    2 years ago

    Leah, yes, I’m still loving my Summit White. Nothing stains it! I’ve had it 2 1/2 years now. I would not say it has scratched, it’s more like it develops a patina. Going over it with a maroon 3M pad quickly returns it to a matte finish. I think I’ve done that twice. If you think you’ll love the Glacier white, you’ll REALLY love the Summit! I’m trying to post pictures, unsuccessfully.

  • Janet
    2 years ago

    So I went in and took a closeup photo under the lights of my most used area. This was probably wiped without drying and I haven’t done any maintenance in the last year. Then I went over an area with the wet 3m pad and dried and took a picture of the same area under the same lights. It has a very matte finish. I included a picture from when it first went in.

  • Leah Zawadzki
    2 years ago

    Thank you so much @Janet I really appreciate you getting back to me! I LOVE seeing this, very helpful. I keep going back and forth about it. I was now just reading about how you have to dry it down after you wipe it, so thank you for mentioning that! I am not sure how much I will dry it after I wipe it with the kitchen rag! The before and after of the 3m pad is very helpful, I have been trying that on samples but I feel like I just keep messing up the samples. That is crazy how the 3m took it down to that matt look. Do you feel like you have to wipe it down all the time or it shows stuff? Like crumbs and such. Your kitchen is so beautiful, it's just the look I want. What is the dimension at your edge? I know I should just go for it, I just hear either folks love it or that they hate it and it's a pain to maintain. So good to hear that you are doing well with the summit white. :) Thank you again, I can't tell you how helpful this is.

  • Janet
    2 years ago

    What do you exactly mean by the dimension at the edge? It does show everything, such as crumbs, scattered coffee grounds, anything that needs wiping. However. My daughter has black granite, and I think mine is easier to keep clean. Her’s may hide more, but therein is the problem. I can see exactly where and what needs wiping up or brushing off. I don’t have to do the whole thing just because I can’t see it. Also, her cold, hard, shiny stone has to be dried as well to look good, and if you don’t dry it, it takes much longer to dry on it’s own because it’s cold. And hard. And let me repeat, nothing stains it! I regularly have blueberries, red wine, coffee, mustard, turmeric… The only thing I have to be careful of is heat and DON’t wack a metal spoon on the edge out of habit! I use a wood or cork board under hot things or under a crock pot or Instant Pot, for instance. Here is the before and after of my kitchen. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5598054/kitchen-reveal-before-and-after

  • Leah Zawadzki
    2 years ago

    Thank you @Janet for the input, that makes sense about the dark vs light. Your kitchen turned out lovely, so clean and refined yet comfortable and cozy. Mine will be more modern but I hope it can feel as comfortable as yours when it's built! What I mean is just the dimension of the edge profile. Standard is 1 1/5" which is what I am guessing yours is? I've been calling out 1" because I want it a bit thinner, the material itself is .5" like at your sink, I am even considering no edge, just the material thickness. But your's look good and balanced which may talk me into going 1.5" if that is what yours is, it's nice to get a feel from a built kitchen and I have a hard time figuring it out from photos. :) Has your edge chipped? I have quartz right now and it's one of the main reasons I want to stay away from it because my square edge is all chipped up.


    So do you think I would need something under my coffee pot too? For my simple, modern aesthetic I don't really want to set my coffee pot on anything, but I can certainly use a wood board for the crock and instapot. I have a jura capresso expresso maker, not sure how hot it really gets. I also have a toaster oven. But I guess I might have to have some extra custom trivets made from the stone slab. I am using stone on my island. I'm adding to the list of things to remember! Even tho I would rather not use anything if I could get away with it.


    Just to clarify, there are times you go all around your counter with a 3m pad, I am sure it's a bit of work, but do you find it easy to get it even? I will be so scared to mess it up! Thank you again for chatting with me about all this, very helpful!

  • Janet
    2 years ago

    I do have one small chip because I whacked a spoon against the edge when it was first put in. It only happened once! I have no chips around my sink. One of the beauties of the Corian is that you can’t really mess it up in any permanent way with the 3m. I haven’t done mine too often because my counter is pretty big, so I just don’t take the time to do it. I have pretty wimpy arms, so the last time I did it I had my husband help. But mostly it’s just a matter of moving everything off the counters to do it all. As far as heat is concerned, it’s the heating element on the bottom of things that would be a concern. Coffee heats from the top. They made two cutting boards from the sink and cooktop cut outs, and I use those in spots where I frequently put things down just to avoid potential scratching, but I don’t think that was actually necessary. I’ve seen the recommendation to store one of those away in case there is a major repair needed, to have some surplus material. Seams are made invisible. I don’t know what would cause such a disaster to begin with. My edge is 1 1/2”. All the decisions! It took me 9 years to work out every little thing for my kitchen. But I am still thrilled with it every day! Not only do I love the way it looks, but it is so functional!

  • Janet
    2 years ago

    Also be aware that it comes in two sheens as I recall, one more of a matte. That’s what mine would be.

  • Leah Zawadzki
    2 years ago

    @Janet Thank you for all the info! Really good thinks to be sure to plan for. I think I am going to go for it, and I want matte finish too. Thank you again!!

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